Tools for handling watch crystals



1952 J. SHIFFMAN 3,068,558

TOOLS FOR HANDLING WATCH CRYSTALS Filed Dec. 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.1. 5/ H63;

e1 i i 3 70 as 73 '""48 as iin I 10 "JVENTOR Jerome shiffma ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1962 J. SHIFFMAN 3,063,558

TOOLS FOR HANDLING WATCH CRYSTALS Filed D60. 29, 1960 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fl G. 6.

INVENTOR 'Bew ATI'ORN EY Patented Dec. 18, 1962 3,963,558 TOOLS FOR HANDLING WATCH CRYSTALS Jerome Shiifrnan, 123 E. 144th St, New York 51, N.Y. Filed Dec. 29, 1969, Ser. No. 79,271 9 Claims. (Cl. 2921ll) This invention relates to tools for handling watch crystals, and more particularly to devices which handle crystals of the so-called unbreakable type which are composed of plastic material. The invention has particular reference to a device which will engage a watch crystal while it is in place in a watch and remove it therefrom; which will pick up a watch crystal from a supporting surface and hold it in such a manner that its fitment in position in a watch bezel is greatly facilitated.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this character which can be readily manipulated; which will accurately and firmly engage and hold the crystal in such a manner that the placement of the crystal in a watch bezel can be easily and accurately performed, and which will be of sturdy construction. A tool of the kind to which the present invention relates is disclosed in my co-pending application for patent Serial No. 57,521, filed September 21, 1960.

It is an object or" the invention to provide a tool and a crystal-support for use in connection with the same and with which the engagement of the gripping fingers of the device with a crystal can be regulated, thereby enabling crystals of difierent depths to be each engaged in such a manner that edge portions of them will be sodisposed as to enable such portions to readily fit into the groove in a watch bezel.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a tool for removing and fitting crystals, constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the under side of the device, with its supporting stand not shown;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the supporting stand;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the supporting stand;

FIG. 5 is a view of the central threaded stem, with certain parts of the device mounted on it;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the .tool;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the same;

FIG. 8 is a face view of one of the crystal-engaging fingers, and

FIG. 9 is an edge view of the finger.

Referring to the drawings, the casing or housing of the tool is composed of two sections or halves, the upper section being that generally indicated at 1, and it is of cup-shaped formation and includes a top wall 5, a circumferential rim 3 and a skirt 3a. The rim 3 is for hand engagement to rotate the part 1 of the casing and it may be knurled as shown in FIG. 1.

The lower section of the casing is generally indicated at 2 and the same is also of cup-shape and it includes a bottom wall 4. Both the upper and lower cup-shaped parts of the casing may be, like other parts of the device, composed of plastic material if desired, or they may be made of metal. The lower cup 2 is of such internal diameter that the skirt 3a of the upper cup 1 fits within it so that the upper cap may be rotated as well as moved axially within the lower cup, and in telescopic fashion.

Centrally provided in the upper wall 5 of the upper cup 1 is a boss 26 providing a recess or well 6 which accommodates a hexagonal or other non-round nut 7, the well being complementary in shape to the exterior of the nut,

said nut being confined in the recess or well 6 by means of a cap 8 secured to the top wall of the upper cup 1 over the recess 6. This arrangement is such, that by rotation of the upper cup 1 the nut 7 will be threadably moved up or down on a threaded stem 9 on which it is mounted and which extends centrally and axially through the casing and through the recess or well 6.

Saidstem 9 is provided at one end, or at the lower end of the tool, with a hexagonal o-r non-round head it fitted within the bottom wall 4 of the lower cup 2, thereby maintaining the stem non-rotatively with respect to said lower cup.

Mounted on the stem 9 adjacent to the head end of the same, is a sleeve 11, provided with an annular groove 12 (FIG. 1) that is engaged by the crystal-gripping finger's 13. These fingers constitute crystal-engaging jaws and each of them is in the form of a flat, tapered metal plate having an enlarged head 15 at its upper end terminating in a rounded extremity 14, forming a notch 16.

- At its opposite end, the head 16 is formed with a nose portion 17 so shaped as to engage with the groove 12 in the sleeve 11 as clearly shown in FIG. 1. This engagcment permits a rocking or pivotal movement of each of the fingers. The upper edge of the nose portion 17 is curved as shown at 18, which curved portion extends under the concave side of a cupped washer 19 fitted around the threaded stem 9 and confined between the top of the sleeve 11 and a pair of nuts shown respectively at 2i) and 21 threaded on the stem 9. A conical coil spring 22 is seated on the bottom wall of the lower cup 2 and is seated at the top in the notches 16 of the fingers 13. This spring biases the fingers to open or spread position.

The adjusting head 23 for the jaws is in the fo-rmof a frustro-conical follower having a central aperture 24 fitting around the stem 9 and freely movable up and down thereon. A washer 25 is interposed between the top of the adjusting head 23 and the boss 26. In FIG. 1 of the drawing, the adjusting head 23 is shown in a raised or elevated position away from the fingers 13, and the one finger therein shown is in its innermost position. The parts are shown in these positions primarily for illustration, since normally the flange 28 on the head '23 is in constant contact against the tops of the fingers.

As will be apparent from FIG. 2, which shows the bottom of the lower cup, the bottom wall 4 of that cup is formed with a plurality of radial slots 27 through which the fingers 13 are extended to project below the bottom wall 4. These slots are of such length as to permit the required pivotal movement of the fingers to thereby enable the fingers to accommodate various sizes of watch crystals between them. In the drawings, twelve of these slots and twelve fingers are shown, but this number may be increased or decreased if desired, each of the slots accommodating one of the fingers as shown. In FIG. 1, only one of the fingers is shown for clarity in illustration.

From the structure thus far described, it will be apparent that when the upper cup 1 is rotated relatively to the lower cup 2, the adjusting head 23 will be' moved up or down, so that its peripheral flange 28 will engage against the tops of the fingers 13 to move the. fingers pivotally toward one another or to permit them to separate under the biasing pressure of the spring 22. The stem 9 is provided with an axial passage 29 and a rod 30 is freely slidable therethrough, the rod being provided at its upper end with a knob 31 forming a finger-piece, and at its lower end below the wall 4, with a conical head 32.

To facilitate the engagement of the crystals with the fingers 13 of the tool, a stand or support of the type shown in FIGS...1,..3 and provided with a base in the form of a disk 33 which is dished or formed with a concavity 34 located centrally and facing. upwardly. A central aperture 38 is provided in the base.

Arising frornthe top of the base 33 is a plurality of vertical posts 35, three in number being shown. At the top, each of the posts is provided with a notch, forming a seat or shoulder on which .the tool is rested as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 1 only one of the posts is shown, but it.will be understood that the tool rests onall three of the posts when in its supported position on the stand. The curvature ofthe upper. or concave surface of the concavity is suchthat it conforms to the arc of swing of the fingers 13.

. .Provided on the under. surface of the bottomwall 4 of the lower cup 2 is a number of disk-shaped projec.-.

tions or steps 40 and these steps are arranged in groups of .threeof differentheigh-ts. Whenv the tool is rested on the seats 36 of the stand, and with the tool supported on threeof the disks of the same predetermined height, thelower ends of the fingers will be located at a given distance from the upper surfaceof the concavity-34 so that the edged the. crystal then resting on the surafce' of theconcavity, will be engaged by the fingers at such given. distance from the lower surface of the crystal. Thisallows a sufiicientamount of the edge of the crystal tobe exposed below the. lower ends of the fingers 13 to permit such portion'of the edge to be engagedinthe groove in the bezel of the watch when fitting the crys-. tal in place therein. 1

-.Sincethe crystals vary in height, and the lower-ends.

V of thefingers are requiredto bepositioned at a number of different distances from the surface of the concavity 34, the projections or steps 40 are arrangedin groups of .three of diiferent height. For example, three of these. projections are arrangedfor a clearance of .010; three arranged fora clearance of .020; three for a clearance of .030 and three arranged for a clearance of .040, with. theseclearancesmarked on the projections. Additional projections of other heights can also be provided as required.

From the foregoing, the operation of the'tool will 4.. is provided. .The same. is

Having thus described a single embodiment of the inention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is: V

1. A device for handling watch crystals comprising, a pair of cups in telescoping relation and constituting a casing, one of said cups being a lower cup and the other cup being an upper cup, the upper cup being rotatively be readily understood, The crystal to be'picked up preparatory to beinginserted in the bezel of a watch, is centrally positioned in the concavity 34 of the stand with. its convex facez disposed uppermost. The tool is placed on the stand with the steps or projections'40 of theselected heightseated upon the seats or shoulders 360i the posts 35.- By depression of the rod. 30, the crystal will be heldvdow'n on the concavity ofthe. stand, while the upper cup 1 is rotated by finger engagement with its rim 3. This will cause. the adjusting head-23 to descend in a manner to pivotally bring the fingers 13 inwardly .or toward one another to an extent to cause them to grip the crystal between them, allowing a part of the edge of the crystal to project below the points. of. engagement by the fingers 13, which projecting portion of the edge of thecrystal to project below the points of enof the watch. After the crystal is engaged by the. fingers crystals of difierent heights may be readily accommodated and properly engaged'by the gripping fingers 13. It will be noted that each of the fingers 13 has a pointed inner edge 41m its lower end and the crystal will be engaged between these edges andfirmlygripped between thefing'eis'. Itwill also be noted that the finger terminals each I the concavity in which the crystal is rested.

and axially adjustable relatively to the lower cup, the lower cup having a bottom provided with radially extending slots, crystal-engaging fingers mounted in the slots and capable of pivotal movement therein, spring means tending to pivotally urge the ends of the fingers apart, an adjusting head positioned within the casing and axially movable therein by rotative movement of the upper cup to thereby cause the fingers to be moved toward one another to grip a crystal between them.

2. A device for handling crystals as provided for in claim 1, wherein the upper cup has askirt fitting within the lower cup, a threaded stem mounted in the upper cup and on which said cup is axiallyand rotatively adjustable, the lower cup having its bottom provided with a plurality of raised projections on which it may be rested on a supporting stand, the projections being of different heights to thereby elevate the ends of. the fingers at difierent heights from the support. v

3. In a device for handling crystals, a'crystal-gripping device including a plurality of fingers movable toward one another to grip a crystal between them, a supporting stand having uprights upon which the device is rested, the supporting stand having a crystal-supportingsurface, and projections on the crystal-gripping device for seating upon the uprights, the projections being arranged in groups of different height to thereby regulate the height of elevationof the ends of the fingers from the crystalsupporting surface oithestand when the crystal-gripping device is placed .on the stand.

4. In a device for handling crystals, as providedfor in. claim 3, wherein the crystal-supporting surface is acruate and of a. curvature conforming to the arc of swinging movement of thefingers, thefingers projecting below thebody. of the crystal-grippingdevice, and the projections being located on the body of the crystalgripping .device between the fingers.

5. In a device for handling crystals, a stand having a central concavity in which a crystal is rested, posts extending upwardly from the stand, seats at the tops of the.

posts, a crystal-gripping device having a casing adapted to be rested on theseats, the crystal-gripping device having fingers projecting .from its bottom toward theconcavity, the device including means for moving the fingers toward or away from one another, the bottom of the casing being provided with projections of difierent heights for selective placement on the seats to thereby regulate the height of elevation of the ends of the fingers from the surface of 6. In a device for handlingrcrystals, ,a crystal-.grippin V device having gripping elements, a supporting stand on have a rear or outer sharp edge 42. This edge 42 can beused' for cleaning out'the groove in the run or bezel e which the device is rested, said stand having a crystalsupporting surface, the gripping elements having extremities located above the supporting surface, and co-open 1 vating elements on the, device and on the stand for regulat- 7 ing the distancebetween the gripping elements-and the crystal-supporting surface'when the device is placed on the stand. j

7. In a device for handling crystals as provided for in claim 6, wherein the. supporting surfacefor the crystals 'is in the form of a concavity, the gripping elements arefingers movable, toward or away from one another; and the co-operating elements on the device and stand are disks of different heights on the bottom of the device and seats on the stand forthe reception of said disks... v

8. A device for handling crystals comprising, a casing composed of a pair of cups disposed in telescopic relation, one of said cups constituting a lower cup and the other cup constituting an upper cup, the upper cup having a skirt fitting within the lower cup, a threaded stem having an end portion anchored in the lower cup, said lower cup having a plurality of radial slots extending from the lower portion of the stern, a finger mounted for pivotal movement in each slot, a sleeve mounted on the stem, said sleeve having a groove, each finger having a nose portion rockably mounted in the groove, an element fitted on the stem and extending over the nose portion of each sleeve to hold the same in the groove, a coil spring surrounding the stem and operative on the fingers to bias the same toward spread-apart position, an adjusting head on the stem and axially movable thereon to urge the fingers toward one another in opposition to the force of the spring, and means for threadably connecting the upper cup to the stem whereby a rotative movement of the upper cup will force the adjusting head in a direction toward the fingers and cause it to adjust the fingers toward one another.

9. In a device for handling crystals as provided for in claim 8, including a stem axially movable through the threaded stern and having a head on its end, which head is located between the fingers, and the lower cup having a bottom wall provided with stepped projections on its 10 surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mulcrone Sept. 12, 1944 2,828,663 Andrade Apr. 1, 1958 

